Curriculum

Alma School is divided into 32 groups / classes divided in 7 different learning Grades:

1. Support Grade 2. Grade R 3. Grade 1 4. Grade 2 5. Grade 3 6. Grade 4 7. Grade 5

Support Grade:

The Support Grade aims to teach learners who need more individualised support in a smaller group. The support given to the learners is individualized, according to each child’s individual capabilities and needs. We focus on language and communication (including alternative communication for learners with little or no speech), life skills (with the focus on sensory stimulation and independence skills) as well as visual perceptual and cognitive skills (hands-on and real-life experiences of colours, shapes and concepts such as big/small). The Junior group works in a multi-sensory way. Activities are kept short and focused on sensory stimulation and the acquisition of some basic craft and food preparation skills. The class environment is less formal than in other classes, but still structured, with a fixed daily routine. The Senior groups build on and expand the skills taught to the juniors. They also work on everyday food preparation skills, basic household skills and basic gardening skills. We also take the learners out to shopping centres to “dress up and shop” so that they have practical learning experience regarding the value of money, appropriate social skills in public and acquire a sense of how to dress smartly. Grade R: In the stimulation Grade our learners learn through play. We embrace our learners with love and structure and educate them in the following three learning areas: Language, Mathematics and Life Skills. We strive for our learners to accomplish basic communication skills and use alternative and augmentative communication. Activities are planned to develop fine muscles and gross motor skills. Academics: 1. Language: Teaching new vocabulary (with sign language) themes. Encouraging social interaction with songs and rhymes. 2. Mathematics: Basic counting, learning colours and shapes. Learning daily routine to enable effective routine in school. 3. Life Skills: The goal is to teach the learner social skills and to achieve their full physical, intellectual, personal, emotional and social potential through the following study areas: a. Personal & social well being b. Creative Arts i. Performing Arts: Gross motor development through playing games and dancing. On hand therapist assistance for optimum development. ii. Visual Arts: Stimulating fine motor development and sensory stimulation we focus on finger painting, holding big crayons correctly and cutting with scissors. c. Physical education Grade 1: We strive to: • Get our learners as independent as possible regarding to basic self-care skills. • Equip our learners with basic communication skills, stimulate interaction and create AAC-systems for learners with little or no speech. • Prepare learners for the skills they will need later in school and in society by developing their fine motor skills. • Expose our stronger learners to sight reading (names, brand names, first letters of names). • Teach our learners socially acceptable behaviour so that they can fit in school and in society. • Ensure that our learners are prepared to adapt successfully in the more advanced Grades of the school and ultimately develop into functional members of society in the following aspects: ADL, Communication, Basic literacy, Fine motor skills, Gross motor skills, and Social and emotional development. The learners in Grade 1 build upon the stimulation they have received in the Grade R. The same basic developmental skills taught in the stimulation Grade are being taught, but on a little higher level. 1. Activities of daily living: a. Most children in this Grade are already able to take themselves to the toilet and feed themselves. They are expected to start taking care of their own belongings (e.g. packing and unpacking of bags) and learn a little more advanced hygiene rules / skills. 2. Language development: a. Each child is met on his/her level of language development. Augmentative and alternative communication is still used often. Planned vocabulary expansion takes place. 3. Sensory and perceptual stimulation: a. More formal perceptual stimulation takes place than what was taught in the stimulation Grade, e.g. colours, shapes, counting and puzzles. However, learners still tend to progress quite slowly with these although differentiation takes place daily. 4. Gross motor skills: a. Learners with physical disabilities still work on the next Grade of their possible development, or are helped to maintain their current physical condition. Able-bodied learners are developing their gross motor skills by doing balancing exercises, running and jumping games, and various other fun activities. 5. We do music, song and movement regularly. 6. Creative activities are a little more advanced than in the stimulation Grade. Cutting, drawing, painting and pasting are aimed at creating a very simple product and at the same time developing fine motor muscles. Grade 2: The areas in which the learners receive instruction, are as follow: Languages – Afrikaans and English, Mathematics, Life skills and Arts and Crafts. We follow the adapted national Curriculum for Foundation Grade (DCAPS) and we adapt it according to each child’s individual capabilities and needs. The topics we use to carry over the content, are: Term 1: Me and my community, Term 2: Seasons, Term 3: Transport and Term 4: Water. 1. Grade 2 programme is based on DCAPS – Gr. 2 with adapted assessment standard. 2. Work is divided into three subjects: a. Life Skills b. Language c. Mathematics 3. Assessment standards are divided into basic components to allow learners with different capabilities to master it. 4. Assessment is done on a continuous basis. 5. Specific aims are determined for each learner in the Grade. 6. Well trained assistants available in the Grade. Additional activities: • Gross motor activities • Music and Song • Occupational therapy in class or groups • Individual and/or Group based physiotherapy • Fully equipped playgrounds • Fully equipped training track for bicycle riding and road safety awareness Grade 3: Learners in this Grade receive perceptual training and follow an adapted national Curriculum for Foundation Grade (DCAPS). The content, instruction and assessment standards are scaled down into simplistic steps. When they have attained their academic potential, we concentrate on life- and prevocational skills. 1. The classes programmes are based on DCAPS – Grade 3, with adapted assessment standards. 2. Work is divided into three subjects: a. Life Skills b. Language c. Mathematics 3. Differentiation is done with each learner to help him/her to reach the aims in the programme. 4. Each learner can work on his/her own level and tempo to reach the different outcomes. 5. Assessment is done on a continuous basis. Learners in the Grade are also being exposed, on a weekly basis, to achieve different skills: • Computer skills / Smart board skills / Tablets • Gross-motor activities / physical activities • Music, Song and Dance • Occupational therapy • Individual and/or group based physiotherapy Grade 4 & 5: In these Grades’ learners are instructed in Languages, Mathematics, Life Skills (including Creative arts & Physical education), and a choice of three of these five skills subjects: 1. Art & Crafts: Produce art & craft products, accumulate creative ideas to design a craft product, develops entrepreneurial awareness within craft products, make a variety of craft products. 2. Consumer Studies: Food production, food & nutrition, hygiene & safety, entrepreneurship 3. Agricultural studies: Gardening and plant production 4. Nail and beauty: Nail and beauty technology. The purpose of nail and beauty technology is to develop self-directed skills and knowledge for learners to use once they enter adult life. It is designed for learners who wish to extend their range of skills in the industry. The learners will be able to integrate the generic salon requisite skills, knowledge, values and attitudes with those specific to the beauty industry. This learning program will enhance the self-image of the learners when she becomes more professional. 5. Maintenance: Maintenance is a study of various interrelated skills in the maintenance sectors such as health and safety, cleaning and good housekeeping, basic metalwork, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, building and construction skills. This subject equips learners to assist in maintaining and servicing of plant and equipment at various private and public sites. The learner will be able to assis a qualified artisan, semi skilled artisan or be able to follow a supervisor’s instructions. Maintenance skill and the content embedded in the skills are taught over 2 years in grade 4 with differentiation and 3 years in grade 5 with differentiation.

Curriculum

Alma School is divided into 32

groups / classes divided in 7

different learning Grades:

1. Support Grade 2. Grade R 3. Grade 1 4. Grade 2 5. Grade 3 6. Grade 4 7. Grade 5

Support Grade:

The Support Grade aims to teach learners who need more individualised support in a smaller group. The support given to the learners is individualized, according to each child’s individual capabilities and needs. We focus on language and communication (including alternative communication for learners with little or no speech), life skills (with the focus on sensory stimulation and independence skills) as well as visual perceptual and cognitive skills (hands-on and real-life experiences of colours, shapes and concepts such as big/small). The Junior group works in a multi-sensory way. Activities are kept short and focused on sensory stimulation and the acquisition of some basic craft and food preparation skills. The class environment is less formal than in other classes, but still structured, with a fixed daily routine. The Senior groups build on and expand the skills taught to the juniors. They also work on everyday food preparation skills, basic household skills and basic gardening skills. We also take the learners out to shopping centres to “dress up and shop” so that they have practical learning experience regarding the value of money, appropriate social skills in public and acquire a sense of how to dress smartly. Grade R: In the stimulation Grade our learners learn through play. We embrace our learners with love and structure and educate them in the following three learning areas: Language, Mathematics and Life Skills. We strive for our learners to accomplish basic communication skills and use alternative and augmentative communication. Activities are planned to develop fine muscles and gross motor skills. Academics: 1. Language: Teaching new vocabulary (with sign language) themes. Encouraging social interaction with songs and rhymes. 2. Mathematics: Basic counting, learning colours and shapes. Learning daily routine to enable effective routine in school. 3. Life Skills: The goal is to teach the learner social skills and to achieve their full physical, intellectual, personal, emotional and social potential through the following study areas: a. Personal & social well being b. Creative Arts i. Performing Arts: Gross motor development through playing games and dancing. On hand therapist assistance for optimum development. ii. Visual Arts: Stimulating fine motor development and sensory stimulation we focus on finger painting, holding big crayons correctly and cutting with scissors. c. Physical education Grade 1: We strive to: • Get our learners as independent as possible regarding to basic self-care skills. • Equip our learners with basic communication skills, stimulate interaction and create AAC-systems for learners with little or no speech. • Prepare learners for the skills they will need later in school and in society by developing their fine motor skills. • Expose our stronger learners to sight reading (names, brand names, first letters of names). • Teach our learners socially acceptable behaviour so that they can fit in school and in society. • Ensure that our learners are prepared to adapt successfully in the more advanced Grades of the school and ultimately develop into functional members of society in the following aspects: ADL, Communication, Basic literacy, Fine motor skills, Gross motor skills, and Social and emotional development. The learners in Grade 1 build upon the stimulation they have received in the Grade R. The same basic developmental skills taught in the stimulation Grade are being taught, but on a little higher level. 1. Activities of daily living: a. Most children in this Grade are already able to take themselves to the toilet and feed themselves. They are expected to start taking care of their own belongings (e.g. packing and unpacking of bags) and learn a little more advanced hygiene rules / skills. 2. Language development: a. Each child is met on his/her level of language development. Augmentative and alternative communication is still used often. Planned vocabulary expansion takes place. 3. Sensory and perceptual stimulation: a. More formal perceptual stimulation takes place than what was taught in the stimulation Grade, e.g. colours, shapes, counting and puzzles. However, learners still tend to progress quite slowly with these although differentiation takes place daily. 4. Gross motor skills: a. Learners with physical disabilities still work on the next Grade of their possible development, or are helped to maintain their current physical condition. Able-bodied learners are developing their gross motor skills by doing balancing exercises, running and jumping games, and various other fun activities. 5. We do music, song and movement regularly. 6. Creative activities are a little more advanced than in the stimulation Grade. Cutting, drawing, painting and pasting are aimed at creating a very simple product and at the same time developing fine motor muscles. Grade 2: The areas in which the learners receive instruction, are as follow: Languages – Afrikaans and English, Mathematics, Life skills and Arts and Crafts. We follow the adapted national Curriculum for Foundation Grade (DCAPS) and we adapt it according to each child’s individual capabilities and needs. The topics we use to carry over the content, are: Term 1: Me and my community, Term 2: Seasons, Term 3: Transport and Term 4: Water. 1. Grade 2 programme is based on DCAPS – Gr. 2 with adapted assessment standard. 2. Work is divided into three subjects: a. Life Skills b. Language c. Mathematics 3. Assessment standards are divided into basic components to allow learners with different capabilities to master it. 4. Assessment is done on a continuous basis. 5. Specific aims are determined for each learner in the Grade. 6. Well trained assistants available in the Grade. Additional activities: • Gross motor activities • Music and Song • Occupational therapy in class or groups • Individual and/or Group based physiotherapy • Fully equipped playgrounds • Fully equipped training track for bicycle riding and road safety awareness Grade 3: Learners in this Grade receive perceptual training and follow an adapted national Curriculum for Foundation Grade (DCAPS). The content, instruction and assessment standards are scaled down into simplistic steps. When they have attained their academic potential, we concentrate on life- and prevocational skills. 1. The classes programmes are based on DCAPS – Grade 3, with adapted assessment standards. 2. Work is divided into three subjects: a. Life Skills b. Language c. Mathematics 3. Differentiation is done with each learner to help him/her to reach the aims in the programme. 4. Each learner can work on his/her own level and tempo to reach the different outcomes. 5. Assessment is done on a continuous basis. Learners in the Grade are also being exposed, on a weekly basis, to achieve different skills: • Computer skills / Smart board skills / Tablets • Gross-motor activities / physical activities • Music, Song and Dance • Occupational therapy • Individual and/or group based physiotherapy Grade 4 & 5: In these Grades’ learners are instructed in Languages, Mathematics, Life Skills (including Creative arts & Physical education), and a choice of three of these five skills subjects: 1. Art & Crafts: Produce art & craft products, accumulate creative ideas to design a craft product, develops entrepreneurial awareness within craft products, make a variety of craft products. 2. Consumer Studies: Food production, food & nutrition, hygiene & safety, entrepreneurship 3. Agricultural studies: Gardening and plant production 4. Nail and beauty: Nail and beauty technology. The purpose of nail and beauty technology is to develop self- directed skills and knowledge for learners to use once they enter adult life. It is designed for learners who wish to extend their range of skills in the industry. The learners will be able to integrate the generic salon requisite skills, knowledge, values and attitudes with those specific to the beauty industry. This learning program will enhance the self-image of the learners when she becomes more professional. 5. Maintenance: Maintenance is a study of various interrelated skills in the maintenance sectors such as health and safety, cleaning and good housekeeping, basic metalwork, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, building and construction skills. This subject equips learners to assist in maintaining and servicing of plant and equipment at various private and public sites. The learner will be able to assis a qualified artisan, semi skilled artisan or be able to follow a supervisor’s instructions. Maintenance skill and the content embedded in the skills are taught over 2 years in grade 4 with differentiation and 3 years in grade 5 with differentiation.

Administration and Marketing

The administration department is responsible for the accurate recordkeeping of all the aspects of the school. Complete databases of learner and parent information are kept, as well as information of debit order holders and Alma Friends. The same goes for staff records and information. This department also compiles the fortnightly newsletter and ensures efficient communication with parents and other stakeholders. We provide administration services to all learners, parents, visitors and staff. The administration department assists with all school related marketing and fundraising events.